Around 25,000 usage permits (UPs) have been issued online in the first two and a half months of this year through the automated system of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
A press release from the NBR said that an automated software called Customs Bond Management System was launched from January 1, 2025, with the aim of providing all types of services online to the industrial institutions benefiting from the bond.
Through this, the institutions holding bonded warehouse licenses can obtain usage permits online from the concerned Customs Bond Commissionerate for the use of imported raw materials duty-free.
The release said that this software has been linked to the online system of Bangladesh Bank to facilitate online verification of import and export documents.
As a result, the industrial institutions benefiting from the bond no longer have to go directly to the Customs Bond Commissionerate to avail services.
From January 1, 2026, the use of this software has been made mandatory for receiving and providing all related services, including issuance of usage permits.
Since then, all usage permits are being issued online through the three Customs Bond Commissionerates under the NBR.
A total of 24,963 usage permits has been issued online from the three Customs Bond Commissionerates between January 1 and March 16 of this year.
The NBR said that it is working in coordination with the bond beneficiary industries, Bangladesh Bank, the Directorate of Customs Rebates and Drawbacks, and the relevant online systems of BGMEA and BKMEA to make the process of issuing usage permits online easier and smoother.
The Board of Revenue believes that the issuance of usage permits online through this system is saving a significant amount of time and cost for the industries.
As a result, the country's export trade is becoming more dynamic and the investment environment is also improving.
As part of making the customs administration modern, transparent and efficient, all services related to bond management, including bond audit, will be brought under a fully automated system in phases, so that trade support activities can be further strengthened.